


Heel to Haunch On Bended Knees

by SYNERGlSTIC



Category: TOO | Ten Oriented Orchestra (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Non-Consensual Cuddling, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Verse, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 16:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30058137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SYNERGlSTIC/pseuds/SYNERGlSTIC
Summary: Kyungho spents little time thinking of things as they are. Minsu has thought about them his whole life.
Relationships: Cho Chanhyuk & Song Donggeon, Cho Chanhyuk | Chan & Jang Kyungho, Jang Kyungho & Song Donggeon, Jang Kyungho/Kim Minsu, Lee Jaeyun/Song Donggeon
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	Heel to Haunch On Bended Knees

**Author's Note:**

> little powerful special omega minsu?  
> never thought i'd say that but: i'll add tags as i go
> 
> title from the song "this corrosion", by sister of mercy.

Kyungho usually avoids going to places where people and hybrids and other kinds of things all merge together. It isn't ill intended, for he doesn't really care about anybody else's business if they don't cause harm, but because it's just not where he feels best. Tonight he has decided to follow Chan and Donggeon, give it a chance, "spice up his minimal list of hobbies"; he's at a club that is big enough to lose a friend for hours. It definitely isn't what he was intending to do when he first stepped in, but it's been roughly twenty minutes since Donggeon and he last saw Chan.

"Don't even worry about it," Donggeon speaks lightly over the loud music, learning the hard way that screaming in Kyungho's sensitive ears is not the brightest idea, "He knows his way here more when he's home."

Kyungho snorts, spotting Chan's messy black hair first- then, his arms getting raised to the air and his shirt suddenly disappearing into the mass of bodies, "It seems like  _ here _ is his home." 

It baffles him a little to notice that the club has more than two stores. From outside, it didn't seem that brooding. The first floor is definitely the dance floor, a spacious but somehow stuffy room with dozens of different lights and little places to sit. It’s not a problem for them, who usually stay along with the walls and the small, scattered groups that are not interested in being groped by a stranger (in the most amicable way possible). 

Donggeon doesn't immediately turn around when Kyungho nods towards the - admittedly - rather catching scene, but when he does, the gasp is audible enough to grab attention. 

"This kid is seriously-" 

"You did say we shouldn't worry," Kyungho smiles, trying to appear less uncomfortable than he truly is. 

"Yeah," Donggeon stutters, running a hand across his face and trying to breathe deeply, "I'll get drinks. You want something?"

"A beer." 

He usually goes for the colorful, sweet drinks, but tonight feels like that's going to be a push. Donggeon somehow always senses those kinds of things and thankfully doesn't pry. The mutual help makes Kyungho relax just enough to actually  _ hear _ the song and feel it seeping through his bones, like it does when he starts to feel more loose. In a fast second, he's dancing, secluded to an area of creatures that don't necessarily  _ need _ to rub onto each other like their lives depend on it. He attracts a few glances because, well, he’s not a bad dancer, but he pays them no mind - he genuinely likes the attention and silent praise, so he keeps swaying his hips and closes his eyes as if he has nothing to worry about. He  _ does _ , but it’s swiftly pushed to the back of his mind in order to not worry his friends instead.

Speaking of which- Donggeon comes back with two beers and a silly smile on his face. It glows in a bunch of different colors and it shows that just a little walk has made him sweaty. Another downside of the club: no proper ventilation.

Kyungho stops dancing just slightly to direct a side glance to his friend, "Spill." 

The icy beer pervades his system like a breath of fresh air, comparable also to pure water after running in the desert for days. He clears his throat and looks at Donggeon while waiting for the answer.

"Got the bartender's number,” Donggeon lowers his head and, if that’s possible, smiles more.

If Kyungho squints, he's able to see Donggeon's cheeks tinted rosy, but he doesn't need all that to notice the way his chest puffs with pride and something akin to giddiness. 

"They’re an omega," Kyungho gasps, realisation dawning too late, almost choking on his beer. Donggeon does start coughing, but soon they're both laughing like it's actually funny. 

"I managed not to fuck everything up, y'know, like I'm bound to," his tone gets a little bit too pity, "Eventually. Always." 

"Hey, that's not true," Kyungho points to his face, "You know that our resident idiot is Chan." 

Saying that, he casts a glance at the glinting body still dancing in the middle of everyone. Chan is a force to be reckoned with; and at times like that, no one could really take their eyes off of him. And he’s definitely not an idiot, but who’s going to stop Kyungho from thinking so?

He pats Donggeon on the shoulder, “how did that go, anyways?”

“Oh. Yeah, I, um… Kyungho, I don’t really remember how it went. He said I’m hot. I ended up he’s the most stunning creature I’ve ever seen.” 

Kyungho laughs out loud again and Donggeon accompanies him with the slightest frown. 

“What?" the younger enquiries, "He’s not lying. Do you think he is?” 

Kyungho has fun with Donggeon because the older is almost never saying or doing something he absolutely does not believe. Donggeon cannot lie for the life of him and it isn’t in his nature to belittle himself like he’s doing today. 

“It’s not that. C’mon, I’m hot as hell-” he scoffs. Then, he takes a sip of his cup and crosses his arms. “Something is making me doubt the way that man asked for my phone so fast.”

Kyungho weights the possibilities. One, Donggeon is overthinking. It’s an optimistic and seriously possible cause; Two, the man is just really, really horny; Three, he’s a stalker. 

“Hm… I just think it’s possible to get interested that fast. Look at this place- it has the power to make people do the craziest shit, doesn’t it?” 

Donggeon seems to be really thinking about it. Kyungho tsks and wraps an arm around him, “Giving you their number is the most normal thing that could happen here. For what I see, you both had an instant attraction to each other,  _ complimented  _ each other and now you have his number. It’s actually something expected to happen.” 

They both frown, but Donggeon’s express more acceptance than Kyungho’s, which is a mixture of contempt and strangeness. He’s more used to calmer environments and knowing people before asking for their numbers.

“You’re actually right. I might be overthinking it, because-”

“I know, you don’t have to talk about that here. Now, loosen up!” 

In the end, Kyungho is the one that has to take Donggeon by the arm and shake him in the rhythm of this song that he has never heard before. After that, one beer turns into two, then three, and when he can’t count anymore but the buzz isn’t nearly enough, Donggeon complains. 

“I needa go to the bathroom,” he brushes past Kyungho, and just then the younger one notices how even more crowded the place suddenly got. He takes the moment to clear up his head, his system rapidly cooling down despite his best efforts to keep a little high - their trips to the bar have earned them a few good looks at one of the bartenders - Donggeon’s sweet creature, the one that had typed his number faster than the speed of light. Kyungho had studied his face and demeanor with the best of his blurry efforts, deeming the potential date unharmful to his friend. They both know that appearances can be deceiving, but the guy’s bright smile and hard working exterior oozed nothing off place. At some point in the night, Kyungho learned his name is Jaeyun. 

“You know what,” he murmurs absentmindedly, going in the direction he thinks the restroom is. He elbows someone on the way, rapidly apologizing and trying to make his way to the dimly lit doorway. He isn’t as desperate as Donggeon seemed to be a while ago, but all the effort to pass through the crowd makes him just a little nervous. There’s a hall of sorts that leads to four different restrooms, and Kyungho calls for Donggeon in one of them. 

“Last stall,” his friend says, voice a little spent. He flushes the toilet and comes out, looking a lot more bewildered than when they first came. They look at each other with likely the same thought - that their nature does not allow them to truly lose themselves in human substancies, but they’re sane enough to not look for something that  _ does _ . Donggeon pats his shoulder before he enters a stall and gets his relief. 

“Y’know,” Donggeon says while washing his hands, “Jaeyun says he has a day off tomorrow. He wants to meet up. Somewhere we can talk and get to know each other.” 

Kyungho opens the door of his stall with the biggest smile on his face, despite feeling a little disconnected with the reality all of a sudden. 

“That’s so cool. No like, really.” 

“I know!,” he gnaws his lips with sharp teeth, “I have nothing to wear.”

Kyungho approaches the sink. 

“Then go naked,” he shrugs, pretending not to see the way Donggeon’s face goes red.

Donggeon flicks his forehead, “you’re full of amazing ideas, aren’t ya.”

They both laugh at the frivolity of the situation, and while Kyungho takes his time drying his hands, his ears pick up a sound that breaks his laid back demeanor instantly. He looks at Donggeon and he doesn’t need to be told twice- they hurry off the restroom to the hallway that led them there, and come face to face with a scene that everyone thought that they’d never see so soon again. 

Kyungho is an alpha. When he was seventeen, he had his first rut, which more or less determined the role he’s supposed to take in society. He’s an alpha, and seeing what he’s currently seeing makes all kinds of alarms go off inside his head-  _ prepare to fight, prepare to protect, manage your anger, protect them, protect them, fight.  _

What Kyungho and Donggeon see in the hallway, that’s engulfed by a sick purple light that comes from inside the club and is mostly in shadows, is a growling, brooding figure crowding a much smaller one. 

Donggeon brushes past him and says, all laughter gone from his voice, “Something wrong here?” 

The small figure is just  _ too  _ small. For a brief (and scary) moment, Kyungho thinks a child or a preteen was somehow allowed into that place. Or lured into. Either thought makes him shiver, and before he can contain it, his anger levels flare up a bit. He understand why, despite almost never stepping up in the middle of conflicts this fast, Donggeon reacted first; his instance changing completely so fast.

Donggeon’s voice reaches his ears again, a little forceful, “I'm speaking to you.”

The brooding figure snarls at him, his eyes lost in a dangerous haze, drool dripping out his mouth. Off to a great start. Before turning back, he does something that makes the smaller one whimper and growl consecutively- Kyungho’s eyes go wide. It’s a mixture of arousement, most likely caused by heat (or rut, he isn’t there to judge), and definitely fear. 

He taps Donggeon’s shoulder and nods towards the figure. Despite the darkness, he can see a person curling around themselves, frowning face in sweaty agony, their lips trembling in anger. Sometimes, Kyungho knows that he reads too much into things. This time, he’s completely sure that something is really wrong here. That’s why he steps forward, ignoring the brooding figure - that is definitely an alpha, by the strong scent that hangs around the air more heavily by the second - and carefully approaching the other one. Donggeon stops the alpha from suddenly pouncing onto Kyungho from behind by grabbing his shoulder and trying to assert dominance until his deep growl turns into something less feral. Kyungho eyes the creature with as much attention as he can, but it seems like they’ve had enough of that.

They groan in annoyance and the noise rapidly turns into a cry, and that’s when the overpowering scent of the alpha assuage in comparison to the almost palpable distress that hits Kyungho’s senses. On the back of his mind, he can hear Donggeon’s voice getting a little heated, the huffs and other primal sounds that usually accompany a bunch of alphas dealing with things. 

Donggeon isn’t one for fighting, despite going around saying he’s about to beat the shit out of anyone who wrongs him, but when he has to, he doesn’t play. Kyungho isn’t interested in how out of it the other alpha is, what made him use his physical appearance to make another crawl back in fear or how sorry he is (or possibly isn’t). All Kyungho cares about is making the other not run away from him, because he doesn’t know why, but few things are more important than this right now. It’s more of a gut feeling than anything, though.

In between all of the blatant emotions mixing up to his usual scent, which right now must be clouded with the sourness of a distressed wolf, Kyungho picks up the possible culprit. The sweet smell that single handedly brings one closer to madness. Kyungho feels his guts strench by the sheer force of it, feels it making him lightheaded- every omega has a slight change to their slick. It’s almost imperceptible, but it’s definitely there. However, Kyungho has no time nor enough power to hold back his own instincts as he wishes he had. 

“Listen- I’m not going to hurt you,” he says in a murmured, hopefully calming voice, reaching out for him as fast as he could without looking like a threat. “I’ll only catch you if you want to come to me. My hand is here for you to grab it, it’s your choice.”

In the midst of the chaos, the frightened omega only whimpers in pain. Kyungho watches as he tries to breathe deeply, which Kyungho makes soft and encouraging sounds to, and the permanent frown on his forehead fades away a little. When he speaks, though, it’s nothing above a whisper. 

“It hurts- so much.”

“I’m  _ not _ going to hurt you, that’s a promise.”

He takes a brief look at his back; Donggeon has managed to drag the alpha to where he wouldn’t bother anyone, and there are guards coming from two different places to assess the situation. Great. Which brings him to the confused omega, who’s probably feeling like his world has turned upside down. Kyungho really  _ looks _ at him. He looks too young. He has probably never felt what a heat is like, and it turned to take him by surprise in public. In that situation, any unmated alpha in the vicinity would turn their head to look at him - apparently alone, unguarded, weakened, appetizing. 

He sobs and crouches down all the way to the dirty floor, which meant that all this time he was holding back. Kyungho takes the liberty to walk closer, and he takes a clearing breath before diving into the omega’s always evolving range. He doesn’t know until when they’ll manage to get others from inching closer. 

“My name is Kyungho, and I’m an alpha. I can get another omega- or better, a beta to escort you out and get you home safely. I’m not asking you to trust me, I also wouldn’t. But let me at least-” 

“F-fine. My legs,” he almost wails, “I can’t-” he hugs his own body. Kyungho can’t conceal his expression; everything looks so hurtful. 

“I’m gonna carry you. Is that okay?” 

At this moment, Donggeon joggs back to where they’re talking, but suddenly halts when he remembers what they’re dealing with. Kyungho sees him turning his face a little to side to avoid breathing in the air directly. 

The omega gasps, “I need to- I don’t want to b-but I  _ need _ -” he exposes his neck and the sound that leaves his throat is nothing close to his human percentage. It’s almost one hundred percent animal, and Kyungho actually inches closer than he had intended. He feels Donggeon staring when his face gets to almost touch the omegas neck, and he revives all the sections he has ever had to stop himself from disrupting his natural partners. He doesn’t want to hurt that person, nor make them regret feeling something they can’t control without heavy medication. He doesn’t want to cause harm. 

At the same time, Kyungho produces a deep, cadenced rumble that comes from his chest, and it’s so grave that it almost can’t be heard under all that heavy bass of the club. He has almost forgotten they’re still caged there. The thought is pushed to somewhere at the back of his mind, because the omega is actually letting him in. He’s letting Kyungho engulf him, and he doesn’t back away when he’s suddenly yanked off the ground. 

He’s isn’t as light as Kyungho thought he’d be, and this somehow brings him a calmness he doesn’t know he should be feeling. Once his face is propped right against Kyungho’s scent gland, the omega releases a breath that is both unnerving and endearing. 

He sniffs and croaks out, “I’m scared.” 

Before Kyungho can do anything about it, he passes out, probably from the pain. His hand hovers above the omega’s head but he doesn’t do anything. Scenting him while they’re still there is not the best of his options, but he does start to croon as soon as he gets to his feet, and Donggeon trails behind him like a bodyguard. Instead of gently pushing people away from them, though, he glowers at the easily interested crowd. 

Kyungho tries to conceal both of their scents so the omega’s can be overpowered by his, but it’s a difficult task. It’s the first time that he’s actually dying to nuzzle the male in his arms so he stops shaking and sweating so much- what is he  _ doing?  _ Where is he going? 

He stops abruptly just when the night air finally hits them- Donggeon still right behind him, now looking around when Kyungho snaps. 

“I don’t know any betas that could come right now. I can’t simply call any beta from inside there- Who can I trust? Like, blindly?”

Donggeon stutters, brooding frame slowly getting to his normal height after the heat of a healthy dispute, “I-I’d actually offer to help, but-”

“But, you moron, we’re both alphas. We know the way to ‘help’ isn’t actually what he wants- he may  _ need  _ that, but…”

“I know, defender of the weak and oppressed. I’m just saying that one of us has to at least scent him to calm him down. Get him somewhere safe,” Donggeon says, looking a little shaken now that Kyungho is truly looking at him. “I need to contact Chan.”

“Good luck trying to reach him.”

Kyungho looks at the knocked out omega in his arms. He is literally one of the smallest people Kyungho has ever seen. Looking at his tormented face, Kyungho watches as his eyelashes tremble slightly, his breath erratic. His hair is a little damp, and aside from the clear state of panic, he doesn’t seem hurt. Maybe his face is too pale, but he seems to have a naturally pale complexion. Kyungho gently dabs the sweat from his face and adjusts him in his arms, noticing how hot he feels. 

Donggeon clears his throat, “His scent isn’t too sweet.” 

“He’s still frightened. And burning up, which probably causes him to get a little delirious and to release this sour scent,” he sighs. “Also, you’re on suppressants.”

“I am. Can’t know if I’d be able to hold myself back.”

Donggeon turns to his phone before Kyungho can say anything else. It’s true that most of his self restraint comes from years of trainment, it’s what he thought that would be better for both his body and mind, and the safety of others. But it’s also true that he, from time to time, sees a doctor to keep his medication ready for whenever he feels like he needs it. 

Donggeon looks at his phone with a crestfallen expression; Kyungho knows what’s about before he speaks.

“No success in trying to reach Chan. I’m gonna catch a cab for you then, wait here.” 

“What about you?”

He rolls his eyes, “getting back inside. I’m absolutely not going to let Chan go home alone, lest I want him pulling the same stunts as last time.”

Kyungho winces, unintentionally bringing the other’s body closer to his. It’s chillier than he remembers when they first got there, a little late in the evening, “Thank you. For taking care of the asshole and also this.”

“I’m nice!”

"Like hell you are," Kyungho snorts. 

Donggeon shoots him a warning look and walks closer to the street, sinalising to the nearest cab. He talks to the driver, probably asking to leave one of the windows open so the air can flow freely and none of them can get too bothered. 

Kyungho again has his attention drawn to the one in his arms, who shivers and frowns. He is making the littlest sounds, those akin to cries, but Kyungho has an idea of what they truly are. 

"Donggeon," he calls, and the other waves at him. He has no choice but to go there, where he doesn't know if the driver can be trusted. Donggeon is sensitive but also a little naïve.

"No need to bulk up, big boy. He's a beta."

Kyungho bends forward to look at the wolf on the driver's seat, who makes a peace sign to him and unlocks the doors. 

"Where to?" 

Kyungho halts. He hadn't thought about that.  _ Somewhere safe _ was anywhere far from where they are, where predators walk freely and not be bothered by others' reactions to them. Donggeon looks at him quizzically. 

It's certainly not the best option, but he heads home with a plan to set in action. 

  
  


When Donggeon steps into the club again, the guards that came to help him when he called are waiting for him near the door. One of them gestures him closer. He's as tall as Donggeon, and his built is much larger, but he speaks with a gentleness that Donggeon is used to seeing in betas or even omegas.

"Was that lad a friend?" 

Donggeon frowns, "Nothing near that. He was bothering an omega and my friend and I took him to safety." 

"Well, I called the cops and he'll have to spend a night at the station, because we didn't find any documents with him. Thanks for intervening." 

Donggeon lowers his head, a little flustered, "I did what was right." 

"Maybe. We never know the circumstances, and sometimes we act on impulse… But I don't think this was the case," he clears his throat. "Anyways, I'll get back to work." 

Donggeon salutes him and when he is in a safe distance, he fake retches. Having to deal with cops was certainly the lowest point of his night - but he still has to find Chan in the midst of the chaos that only seems to grow larger. 

Before he thinks of drowning into the ocean of bodies, someone catches his arm. 

"Looking for me?" 

Chan's glistening face glows in a lot of colors and patterns and he's positively breathless. Donggeon considers asking how he is, if he needs water, if he's somehow hurt or where his shirt is, but decides to drop all the bombs on the spot.

"I got a bartender's number, fought an unbridled alpha and Kyungho is taking an omega to his apartment." 

Chan widens his eyes and looks at him from head to toe, "Don't play." 

"I'm not," he grips Chan's arm and brings him closer, "the omega is in heat. Or something very close to that." 

"And our boy Kyungho is with them?" 

Donggeon smacks his lips, “yep. You’re not surprised that I got someone’s number, though?”

He feigns hurt but inside, it hurts a tiny bit. Because Donggeon wants someone -  _ anyone!  _ \- to at least congratulate him properly. He’s one hundred percent sure that Kyungho thinks he has a way with those things. Which he doesn’t. 

Chan’s face morphs into one of malice, “So it  _ is  _ true that you’d rather go out with a stranger than with me?”

“I go out with you all the time- What do you think I’m doing here?” 

Chan blinks at him jokingly. A part of his brain is secluded to only think of the fact that Chan is definitely into something when he teases Donggeon about  _ that _ . It’s the part that somehow yearns for the other in a way that he can’t really explain; they’ve been friends for years, but Donggeon has always found a little strange that Chan seems to just float around, playing with who he mights, and at the end of the day he gets this look on his face that certainly means something Donggeon can’t even begin to comprehend. 

The other part just wants to smack him on the head for causing so much trouble and for worrying all his friends so much.

“You’re simply enjoying yourself,” he replies, looking around aimlessly. Donggeon crosses his arms and sags a little against Chan, close to resting his head on his shoulder. 

“I was, before I had to intervene in something that I wish just… Wouldn’t happen anymore,” he sighs. 

Chan picks up on what he is trying to say fairly quickly, for Donggeon’s content, “Alphas will be alphas.”

Donggeon frowns at that, and for a moment he lets all the noise around completely engulf them before answering to that blunt untruth. 

"There's actually... No such thing as that," he says, but Chan only gives him a look.  
  
  


His apartment is thrown in darkness by the time he reaches it. The omega managed to wake up at least three times on the way home, but was quickly put to sleep again with the help of the taxi driver, a beta named Minchan. Beta's pheromones were the best to calm down anyone, be them unmated or not, and Kyungho thought that they could use a little luck on this unfortunate night. He struggles a little to open the door and maintain the omega safely in his hold, but in no time they're both inside and Kyungho finally releases a shaky breath. 

Okay. He lives alone and doesn't deal with other dynamics as much as his own, because both his best friends are alphas. Despite knowing quite a lot about everyone, he's no expert. He's no doctor, and he can't simply take care of an omega in impeding heat  _ alone. _ He goes to his spare room and places the small body on the bed, careful to make him as comfortable as possible.

He's  _ tiny _ . He can't be much older than seventeen, that'd be impossible. Kyungho is a twenty one year old man with a  _ teen _ in his room and he doesn't know what to do. 

But instead of completely freaking out, he takes his phone and starts researching. With the energy of someone that's spent the last hours drinking and dancing, he braves through what little of the night still remains - he prepares a hot compress, cooks whatever he has in his fridge and when the sun rises, he leaves the room and closes the door. 

Instead of sleeping, Kyungho starts to think of ways to not trigger another wave of panic into the person he absolutely doesn't know and that doesn't know him - what would he think, waking up in someone else's place with possibly little to no recollection of the night before?

Despite it not being the best time, Kyungho calls Donggeon. 

When he picks up the call, instead of greeting there's an unhinged groan, "I'm not gonna look at the hour." 

"That's- Yeah, I'm sorry. It's just that I'm freaking out a little." 

"Cute," Donggeon yawns and grunts, seeming to have stood up. "You want me there? I can offer moral support and bring food."

Kyungho sighs, scratching his face, "Yeah. But I also don't know if it would be the best idea to bring another alpha in here."

"I'll be quick, then," Donggeon hums. "Lemme see if Chan is up to paying you a visit."

It  _ will  _ be terrible. Kyungho is not really excited to see both his friends in this situation, but he also doesn't want to rely just on the internet to bring peace to this poor omega. 

Kyungho rests a bit on the couch when the day starts to get a little warmer. He keeps himself from looking at the hour and stays alert to whatever sound reverberates through his tiny apartment, so he doesn't really  _ rest _ . He can hear the blankets ruffling, he can hear the soft grunts and he absolutely hears when the first day actual sound leaves the omegas mouth is a pained plea. 

It's a matter of time until his scent permeates through everything. He knows it won't really  _ stick _ , but will linger for a bit if he doesn't clean and air his place really well, so it's a little problem. Something worse than that, however, is that the omega is clearly calling for him.

For an  _ alpha,  _ to be precise- which translates to him, nonetheless. 

Kyungho gathers the remnants of his self composure and marches to the spare room like his skin is being pricked by a thousand little needles, and the first thing he's hit with when he opens the door is the pungent smell of arousement, fear and distress. 

His first response is to walk closer. 

He's probably reviving the last night once again, but acting like Kyungho is his pursuer. He can't really know that Kyungho won't attack him, so he does his best to protect himself. 

In daylight, his eyes glow a shiny brown, but it's mainly because he'd been crying. His hair is a little long, wavy and clinging to his forehead - Kyungho kept himself from changing his clothes so he had slept in them, despite being a little dirty. 

And he looks at Kyungho like he's not truly  _ seeing _ him. 

"Hey, it's me. You let me pick you up last night, remember? I brought you safely to my apartment and you've been sleeping until now," he says, slowly and carefully. "Do you want something? Water?" 

He just forces himself up- Kyungho almost goes to him, but thinks better of it. Letting him do something it's already good enough, he tells himself. The omega is struggling to sit up, but he eventually does, and when he glances up at Kyungho again, he finally speaks. 

"I feel like-" his voice cracks and he coughs weakly, angling his head back to rest against the wall. "Like my bones are jelly. Hurts." 

Kyungho nods and hurriedly crouches down, in fear of being too overbearing to look at. When he's properly on his knees by the bed, the other adjusts his neck to look at him. 

"Please, drink water," Kyungho grabs the glass that he has previously prepared and brings it closer to him. When the other makes no mention of grabbing it from him, he asks, "Can I?" 

He only needs a nod to prop himself to his feet and hold his face with a hand and the glass with other. It feels weirdly intimate, the act, but Kyungho doesn't let it phase him- He needs to ask so much, and now it feels like the time where he'll be conscious enough to answer his many questions. 

He drinks the water slowly, but it's a lot, and Kyungho stops him before he starts to feel sicker.

"Please, what is your name?" 

The guy exhales and it's like a strong shiver hits his whole body, making him bend over and hug himself in pain. Kyungho smells it all again.

"Name? M-Minsu," he whimpers, moaning a curse. "I'm- This wasn't expected…" 

Minsu starts crying like last night, his sobs and little mewls making Kyungho's head swirl up in a lot of hazy solutions for his suffering. He quickly shakes these thoughts away. 

"Look, I can make some of the pain go away. If you let me." 

Minsu pants, eyes closed forcibly, "How?" 

It's offsetting, all of it. Kyungho isn't used to presence when an omega goes in heat, and he was never able to know when someone was first presenting as one. For what he has already read about, the first time it hits is as painful as all others. He doesn't know if it's truly because of his nature. It also could be because he's drawn to protecting all those that are smaller than him, despite their dynamics whatsoever. It could be for a lot of reasons - but the strain he feels in his heart when looking at distressed, spent Minsu, it speaks louder than a bunch of other things that begged to have a place in his mind. 

"I can scent you," he breathes out. In some way, he expects Minsu to desperately try to run. There would be no one to judge him, not even Kyungho. Running when in danger was as natural as curling up to a warm hand when in safety. 

Kyungho is certain he only wants to bring safety. 

"The cab driver that drove us here was a beta, and he released pheromones to help you sleep better. But they faded out and- I can do it for you now, Minsu. Let me." 

"Scenting is-" his voice wavers, "It's a lot more than-" 

"I'm  _ aware _ . But it'll also eventually fade out and when you feel better you can go to your family." 

Minsu sucks in a shaky breath, "I live alone." 

It's the last thing he says before another sharp pain makes him want to lie down again. This time, Kyungho promptly helps him, trying to read into his body language anything that could possibly be trying to repel him. When the strongest thing he gets is a tug on the sleeve of his shirt, Kyungho breathes a little better. 

Minsu has to let him in. So he asks again, "Is it okay if I lay down with you?" 

Minsu's lips tremble and he tries to speak, but a nod is enough. He nods, and his body tenses up. 

Kyungho acts more on autopilot than he has previously imagined. There's something mechanical in the way he embraces Minsu for the first time, taking in the hot waves that he emanates, holding him against his chest. Minsu reacts rather positively, curling up at once and breathing heavily. It's strange, he examines. When in distress, the youngest of his family would go to him or his parents and do the same thing. For these circumstances, the energy is a little different; instead of feeling like protecting a younger sibling, Kyungho feels like hiding someone that means something else. 

It's the sweet smell that, despite a little weaker than it would normally be for an alpha (since he's on suppressants), still makes him think and consider things. It still makes him look around, even if he's one hundred percent sure that he lives alone and there's no one else in his apartment that could cause Minsu any harm. 

Minsu's hands are joined close to his face, but there's no trace of peace in his expression. Everything is painted in confusion. 

Kyungho places a warm hand against Minsu's lower back and starts massaging it, some circle motions that are supposed to help with the pain. He stares at Minsu, not worried about getting caught, because he knows Minsu is not going to open his eyes any time soon. Then, he finally brings his face close. 

It's dead silent when he risks a nuzzle at the junction of Minsu's neck and shoulder. They both shiver- Minsu produces a sound that Kyungho can't describe or categorize. Minsu's skin is too hot against his lips, and he kisses it repeatedly while crooning softly. It's another thing he knows it's effective, but coming from betas is a lot more efficient. 

He nips carefully behind Minsu's ear and goes lower until he reaches his scent gland, its smell getting stronger by the moment and battling with Kyungho's restraints. 

No suppressant completely blocks his scent nor keeps him from reacting to his environment, and at this moment he feels like the options are too mixed up. The weakening of his scent brings the power to not succumb into Minsu's inviting state, but at the same time it forces him to stay there much longer, to make his scent cling to Minsu and bring him a bit of peace. Or something that resembles it. 

Minsu inches impossibly closer to him, and it feels like they're drowning in something that is both unknown and safe. 

Kyungho loses count of the hours he spends there, caressing Minsu's back, taking hair out of his face and gently nuzzling him. He keeps the kisses and nips for when Minsu seems to get more agitated, and it helps him calm down faster. He whines quietly and goes back to his distressed slumber. 

  
  
  


It's almost noon when Donggeon manages to wake Chan up and get ready to help their friend in his rather hypocritical mission. Kyungho is a good boy, but he often gets entangled in this net of thoughts that makes him more doubtful than assertive. There's absolutely nothing wrong in not being assertive at all times, but sometimes one has to let the impulsive instincts take over. Last night, Kyungho had belatedly let them speak for him - he just hopes that nothing more dangerous happened after that.

He can't really criticise Kyungho for his overthinking when he's right by his door, getting nudged by Chan, because he has spent the last five minutes trying to ignore the omega's scent that is certainly slipping past the doorway. 

Chan speaks, voice involved in something akin to pity, "it's been a long time since I felt a sweet smell turn so sour." 

"Yeah," Donggeon exhales, "He's been very distressed since yesterday. But," he sniffs to make a point, "it's a lot better, I'd say." 

"Do you think it's a good idea to step in? We both can clearly smell arousement under all those negative feelings," Chan wrinkles his nose. Donggeon studies his face with care and then grunts.

"My plan was to check on them and leave the food. We can't let the smell linger on us- Nor risk him snapping and- I don't know, jumping on us." 

"So let's just quickly check on them. We've sprayed scent blockers, it can't be that bad." 

Donggeon was taught better than that and he should be aware that it could, yes, be that bad, but he's also a little worried for his friend and this new omega - it's his naturally worried being mixed with the overpowering need to protect that comes from his dynamics. 

When they enter the apartment with the extra key, Donggeon can see that Kyungho had worked a lot through the night. The kitchen is still lit, with pots on the oven (one with food and other with water), and no other sign of wandering around. No clothes discarded on the floor and no new scent. It's Kyungho's distinct smell only (cedarwood with the faintest hint of cinnamon, that's only released in very specific situations) and the omega's slick. Donggeon picks notes of honey, but can't really be sure. Chan has a worse sense of smell than his, so he doesn't ask what his opinion is. 

"It's so silent," the oldest says, raising his eyebrows. 

"Spare me," Donggeon makes a face. "Not everything is about sex, you know."

"Of course I do, but in  _ this case _ ?"

"It isn't! There are plenty of ways of taking care of them." 

"I just think that Kyungho has worn this façade for too damn long," Chan jokes, but somehow it doesn't sound totally like one. Donggeon jabs him in the waist, dismissing his suggestive eyes. Chan isn't ticklish, so he just snickers. 

Out of nowhere, Donggeon thinks about his date. Which is  _ today _ , and the euphoria that it brings makes him momentarily forget that Kyungho has a complete stranger in his apartment - Donggeon was reading the news last week and saw that a gang composed by only omegas actually  _ exists _ and they travel through the cities causing stir. 

"I need to see Kyungho." 

Chan snorts, "Yeah, that's why we're here." 

"You don't understand," he leaves the bags on the counter and encourages Chan to do the same, then he goes on his little search throughout the apartment to find his friend. 

It's imaginable that he wouldn't want that - whatever that was - to happen in his own room, so Donggeon just quickly scans through the main bedroom with Chan on his tail and goes straight to the spare room. 

And what they see is something Donggeon had maybe imagined, but he knows that Chan is slightly thrown off by. 

Kyungho is peacefully seated against the wall, with their small stranger propped sideways against his chest. His face is buried in Kyungho's chest and he's having his legs massaged by one of Kyungho's hands. It seems a little like heaven - and a lot like Donggeon and Chan are interrupting something very intimate.

Before they can speak, though, the omega stirs awake. 

" _ Alpha _ ." 

Kyungho finally snaps to reality and notices them there. Donggeon's eyes go wide when Chan makes it seem like he's going into the room, but Kyungho's cold stare stops them both. 

Donggeon acts fast, "Hah, we're gonna wait for you in the living room." 

He takes Chan with a hand and closes the door with the other as softly as he can. Chan releases a heavy breath. 

"What were you thinking?", Donggeon asks, once they're uncomfortably seated on the couch. He stares at Kyungho's faulty sense of aesthetic to help him think of other things and waits for a response. 

Chan says, "I have no idea." 

There are a couple of things Donggeon is certain in his life. One, is that he’s definitely going to get married someday. Doesn’t know how or when, but he’s sure of it. Two, is that when his friend is truly shaken by something, Donggeon can see right through his troubles. This time it isn’t different. He watches as Chan wriggles his hands and rubs his face and his feet are restlessly playing an intricate set of rhythms on the clean floor. 

Donggeon places a careful hand on his thigh and sighs, “You were half right about all the “alphas being alphas” earlier today,” he mutters, “You’re being an alpha right now. Your scent, albeit weak, was caught by him because he needs… A mate.” 

Chan nods, seeming like his head has cleared up enough. 

He coughs, “Trying not to get alarmed by the other feeling, though.” 

As Donggeon’s thoughts try to wrap around what exactly Chan is referring with this sentence, Kyungho steps out of the room and he reeks of a mess of scents that will take at least two days to completely wear off. Donggeon will probably be able to smell it a week later, because apparently God hates him enough to make him slightly more sensitive in this sense. Kyungho looks a bit like a truck had hit him: he’s wearing loose pants, an old shirt and his hair still contains the gel Chan had helped him with the day before, when they were getting ready to party. Now, it divides into two wild sections - but not a bubble of laughter escapes him; not with the intensity of his friend’s glare. 

And he isn’t even looking at him, but at Chan. 

The staring contest lasts long enough for Donggeon to be able to form a stupid theory in his head. 

“What do you think you were doing?” Kyungho finally speaks, and it’s through teeth. 

Despite having already answered this question before, Chan says it with more intent now, “I have no idea. I just…”

“Just what?”

“I had this urge to protect him.”

Donggeon has seen a few times when people truly pissed off his pacific, usually goofy friend. Kyungho isn’t specially territorial, but he does get a little, depending on the people involved. Donggeon doesn’t know for sure, but it  _ is  _ quite interesting (if not a little worrying) that he’s willing to envisage Chan of all people. He can’t be totally in his right mind.

The first sign of an actual dispute is shown by Chan, who slowly but surely stands up and faces Kyungho, who doesn’t step back nor forward, but has this grave expression that covers his whole face (it’s more of his second nature than he has ever let on, and that’s saying something, according to Donggeon’s observations). He doesn’t wait for Chan to replicate the instance, though, and rapidly gets to his feet too, immediately babbling:

“We left food on the counter, it’s still warm. Don’t forget to call me and… Take a shower. A-and, um, help him take a shower too, once he’s feeling a little better. Don’t forget to feed him!”, and with a look directly to Kyungho’s face, he tries, “Actual. Food. You know.” 

Kyungho actually  _ growls. _

Donggeon all but pulls Chan towards the door, slams it open and then closes in a millisecond before bolting out of Kyungho’s apartment block. 

They’ll have a lot to talk about when this unexpected presence gets himself removed from his peaceful friend’s life. 

  
  
  


Minsu feels like someone big had bumped into him and he managed to fall for at least five minutes before crash landing in a pile of spikes. His head is abnormally heavy and pounding, there's a taste in his mouth that he fails to recognize, but it somehow seems like food. His stomach has once felt worse than that, so he's okay with it being a little billowy. 

He also smells a lot. Of everything. There's a strange spicy scent in the air, though it's slightly overpowered by the annoying smell of bleach and desinfectant- like he's lying on a bathroom floor, not in a bedroom.

Once he opens his eyes, however, everything is weirder than he expected it to be. First things first: he definitely isn't home. 

His room has a little galaxy on the ceiling right above his bed. This one is plain blank, the light bulb is different. The back of his eyes are stinging, so he raises a hand to scratch it- only that he can't. Something blocks it.

Then, he begins to understand that he isn't alone, and the person with him is caging his body; even if it's not totally uncomfortable, it's by no means common. He feels his heart rate pick up gradually, apprehension taking the best of him as he hurriedly tries to untie himself from the arms that hug his entire torso plus his arms. Who even cuddles like that?

An angry heat starts making him extremely uncomfortable as he tries to break free from the trapping hug- an involuntary whine escapes his throat and, for God's sake, whoever has him caged stirs awake. 

"Let me go," he hisses weakly. He finally frees his arms and realizes that the grip on them hurts a little. The fury in his guts grows exponentially as he stands on his feet, first feeling the ground under him to not accidentally fall against his own will. Everything does still feel a little too hazy for his liking. That way, he can hopefully see who's with him and if he has to defend himself. There's an almost empty table right next to him and he hurriedly fishes for anything that could serve as a weapon, and in the background he hears the person grunt sleepily. 

"What- Wait, you're awake," he says. Minsu has a pen raised towards him and when he finally notices it, his eyes go comically wide. 

This guy has dyed blond hair and it sticks everywhere. He's also much bigger than Minsu and probably - hopefully - slower because of that. His fist grows tighter, despite the overall weakness he feels from head to toe. 

"Who are you?" 

Minsu isn't slightly bothered by the way his voice cracks.

"I'm Kyungho- I'm sorry we have to meet like this after-" 

"After what?" he's breath hitches.

Kyungho visibly lowers his instance. Minsu knows what it means, but it doesn't do anything to ease the way his stomach rolls with anxiety. 

"I found you being cornered by an alpha, I brought you home. I took care of you." 

Ah, yes. 

Minsu doesn't know what to feel. He's a worker, he's a student and he lives alone and he is  _ tired _ of all this bullshit. First, because he's what people call a "late bloomer". When he was younger, his friends and colleagues used to treat him as a beta, because they didn't know what he was. He couldn't be bothered by it. Then, as he started to grow a little older, the ages for fully evolving into an omega went by. Then, the usual alpha age. Now, he's mostly human. A 22 year old human being with heightened sense of smell and better night vision. Well, until now.

"How exactly did you take care of me?" 

He doesn't want fear to overcome his speech, but it must be quite visible that he is terrified. His hand trembles but he grips the pen as tighter. 

Kyungho doesn't seem like he's going to stand up, but he raises his hands and does calming motions in his direction. It only makes Minsu want to scream- he hates when anyone asks him to stay calm when he's absolutely calm or when he's about to go rampage. It doesn't happen often, the last one, but he thinks he's able to blow a punch here and there to run away in five minutes counting from now. 

He knows what this is about. 

He must have had his first heat.

"I brought you food," Kyungho supplies, alarm in his voice. "I- There's also this- Um. You had to be-" 

He's an  _ omega _ , above all things. Minsu unintentionally retches. It's not that the ones he grew around aren't amazing people. He loves his mother very much. He loves his childhood friend very much. It's just- 

He's now subject to episodes like this. 

"I don't want to know," his voice wavers, and he sees when Kyungho makes an attempt at reaching for him. He steps back, gasping, "I don't want to know and I wanna go home." 

Kyungho snaps and straightens his back, "O-of course! Please, don't stab me with the pen. I promise I did not touch you inappropria-" 

"I told you I don't want to know!," he exhales, "I just need to get home." 

"I can-" 

Minsu stops him with a swift hand. 

"Where's my phone?" 

Kyungho frowns and seems to think a bit before responding. Then, Minsu decides to look down at his clothes. 

He is wearing a big yellow shirt. And just that. 

"It's-" the man twists his body slightly and reaches around to the bedside table on his side. Minsu carefully gets closer to snatch the phone away.

It isn't really a surprise that it's dead - he had forgotten to charge it before leaving for the club and it was getting a little old. He scoffs, clicks his tongue and walks towards the door, but stops right away after feeling the wind brush past almost every corner of his body. He looks over his shoulder just slightly. 

"My clothes." 

Now, Kyungho gasps and jumps off the bed. 

"Drying. I'll get them." 

In the moment of having to stare as the man somehow both gracefully and awkwardly shuffles closer to the door, inevitably walking past him to show him the way, Minsu stops breathing. It’s conscient, deliberate; he doesn’t want to smell him further. With no other option, Minsu trails behind him. The apartment is small, but he guesses the guy lives alone. It isn't exactly neat, but it could be worse- Minsu wrinkles his nose at something he should've noticed before: they weren't in the main room. The one he was in was too neat and too plain; this one that he walks past before stepping into the kitchen is bigger, it has some clothes and devices all over the floor and a big window. 

His tiny kitchen leads into a corner with a laundry machine, some empty baskets and a cabinet with presumably cleaning tools. 

"I imagined you would want clean clothes to go back home. Listen," Kyungho gets his things and before turning back around, he sighs, "Let me explain this. I swear to you that nothing… Dangerous happened."

Minsu is still gripping the pen. But when he looks up at the sleepy face and bed hair before him, something at the back of his mind forces him to stay and watch. He hates the way this  _ thing  _ makes him reconsider. 

"At the club-" he starts, and immediately stops. "It was five days ago. You've been here and in heat for five days. I brought you here, and gave you baths, and fed you, and cuddled you and massaged your legs because you said they hurt like hell- You can't recall anything?" 

Now that he thinks Minsu isn't going to jump on him at the slight threat of danger, he looks a little more put together. His voice is soft and holds youth in it, like his body grew into one of a man but some other aspects of him stayed behind, in his teens. 

Minsu remembers going to a club alone. He doesn't like to party alone, but his friends in college were all busy or too tired to accompany him; he was never expecting to, suddenly, have his second nature finally wake up after years of dormancy. He groans out loud. 

"It must've been too much. If I force myself to remember anything…" his mind wanders, not entirely forgetting that the man next to him is still a threat. He can recollect small things- the party, the smell of alcohol, sweat and a mix of a hundred different scents in various degrees of intoxicated; the eyes of a mad wolf, its white parts thrown in a deep red, the smell he was emanating and how it made him recoil; his own pounding head and the sudden warmth of a solid body carrying him. 

He looks up at Kyungho. 

"That's- That's embarrassing." 

Kyungho shakes his head negatively.

"It's bound to happen to anyone. Now that you have your clothes, go home and call your friends. I didn't want to intrude so I didn't charge your phone to try and call someone, but I must confess that I thought about it." 

Minsu finally loses grip of the pen and presses a hand on his forehead. It was stupid to think he wouldn’t like to have his phone charged, but he keeps himself from saying it to the stranger’s apologetic face. 

"They must think I'm dead," he mutters to himself. "I'm-" 

Before he can say anything else, Kyungho hands him his clothes and gestures him to the hall they've been in previously.

"The closed door is the bathroom. I'll get you something to eat."

"Ah- That's. Don't bother, I'm not hungry." 

"But you barely ate-" 

Minsu exhales, "Thank you, but I'll not extend my time here. You look like someone has beaten you up." 

He doesn't know if this guy has some ulterior motive. He doesn't even have proof that all he said is true; how can he put himself in such a place when he desperately needs to go? 

At least the bathroom looks more put together than the guy's bedroom. He briefly wonders if he calls someone to clean up sporadically before the urgent matters makes him shake his head and take a look at the mirror. The shirt hangs off from his shoulder and the thought of wearing  _ just that _ in front of anyone makes his head spin in embarrassment. 

Once he's in the clothes he wore to the club - a pair of black fitted pants, a black blouse with white scattered pattern and a leather jacket -, he breathes a little better. The outfit wasn't his idea, but he sure felt good enough in it to wear it once - Woonggi said it made him look taller. He scoffed. Woonggi also made him wear a thin choker and a golden necklace - he instinctively touches his neck and, of course, doesn't feel them there. They must be back in the spare room, so he quickly washes his face and mouth and exits the bathroom. 

Kyungho must have some sort of seventh sense that allows him to pull off shit like standing in front of the room with Minsu's jewelry in his hands. 

"I forgot about those." 

Minsu bites the insides of his cheeks.

"Thanks." 

He foresees the impending touch and the possible consequences of it, if he tries to retract the items from Kyungho's hands. He must be obnoxiously uninterested in his dynamics or whatever shit he's here for, but he isn't stupid to ignore the fact that he's been sleeping and leaking fluids and cuddling with this guy for five days straight.  _ Something  _ must have happened in his brain to be able to just let him in and not repel him like he usually does with anyone that aims to get closer with other intents. 

He positions his hand under Kyungho's and the other luckily gets it fast, dropping his accessories right away. He pockets it without thinking much. 

"I'm sorry for everything you went through. You didn't need to," Minsu forces out. He glances up soon enough to see Kyungho's face scrunch in a confused frown. 

" _ I'm  _ sorry." 

"Please," he scoffs lightly, "I don't need pity." 

"You're right. You fought till the end. The only thing you truly need now is a doctor." 

Minsu feels like he's back home and his mom is talking in his ears. Her voice rings in his head until the day he moves out to study and he sorrowfully takes months to call her, in fear of listening to what he doesn't want to and in worry that she might have given up on him completely.

Despite wanting to act like it's his mother speaking, he heaves a tired sigh. 

"I'll see." 

"Good." 

Minsu looks at him one more time before heading to the door, and Kyungho walks right behind him. Wrong move. The little hairs in his nape raise in alertness. 

"Here, let me," Kyungho brushes past him and grips the door handle. However, before opening it, he sputters, "how are you going home? Your phone's dead, and I checked your pockets for money and other things that could get destroyed in the washing machine, and..." 

Minsu rolls his eyes minimally, but doesn't say anything. So much for worrying about getting robbed at the club; he left with only his phone, where he could request an Uber on his credit card and end of history. His documents, money and cards are all home and his phone  _ is  _ dead. Kyungho interprets his silence quite well.

"Wait here," Kyungho bolts past him again and comes back with enough money to ride across the town. "I don't know where you live, so," he extends his arm towards Minsu and drops the money in his hand much like they've done earlier, "Here." 

Minsu eyes him and the notes back and forth, repeatedly. 

"Where exactly are we?" he asks, remembering that he has no idea of it, having not looked through the windows enough to pinpoint where in the city he finds himself.

"Right behind the Central Station." 

Oh. It's awfully closer to where he works.

"Neat. I'll be going now," he motions to the door and Kyungho opens it wide, something not quite clear written in his stoic face. He clears his throat and Minsu suppresses the urge to ignore it, turning around just enough to side eye him. 

"Be careful." 

Minsu nods. He tries a smile, but the overwhelming awareness of the situation he's in doesn't let him. Now that he's leaving this stranger's apartment with his money in his hands, it feels like he  _ was _ doing something a little dirtier than it seems to be. He shudders a bit after Kyungho finally closes the door and leaves him alone in the hall.

Kyungho, who lives in the fifth floor of a fairly new apartment block, will hopefully turn into a memory that he'll be able to erase from his mind. There will be no trace of this fear-inducing morning and the awkward goodbye. 

He'll no longer feel violated and angry at his own weakness, despite having been told that nothing happened. Still, something feels strange. He hops onto the street and physically shakes the sensation out of his body. 

He will be okay. 


End file.
